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NASA NTRS2010

The Concept and Analytical Investigation of CO2 and Steam Co-Electrolysis for Resource Utilization in Space Exploration

CO2 acquisition and utilization technologies will have a vital role in designing sustainable and affordable life support and in situ fuel production architectures for human and robotic exploration of Moon and Mars. For long-term human exploration to be practical, reliable technologies have to be implemented to capture the metabolic CO2 from the cabin air and chemically reduce it to recover oxygen. Technologies that enable the in situ capture and conversion of atmospheric CO2 to fuel are essential for a viable human mission to Mars. This paper describes the concept and mathematical analysis of a closed-loop life support system based on combined electrolysis of CO2 and steam (co-electrolysis). Products of the coelectrolysis process include oxygen and syngas (CO and H2) that are suitable for life support and synthetic fuel production, respectively. The model was developed based on the performance of a co-electrolysis system developed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Individual and combined process models of the co-electrolysis and Sabatier, Bosch, Boudouard, and hydrogenation reactions are discussed and their performance analyses in terms of oxygen production and CO2 utilization are presented.

McKellar, Michael G.↗

NASA NTRS2013

High Temperatures Health Monitoring of the Condensed Water Height in Steam Pipe Systems

Ultrasonic probes were designed, fabricated and tested for high temperature health monitoring system. The goal of this work was to develop the health monitoring system that can determine the height level of the condensed water through the pipe wall at high temperature up to 250 deg while accounting for the effects of surface perturbation. Among different ultrasonic probe designs, 2.25 MHz probes with air backed configuration provide satisfactory results in terms of sensitivity, receiving reflections from the target through the pipe wall. A series of tests were performed using the air-backed probes under irregular conditions, such as surface perturbation and surface disturbance at elevated temperature, to qualify the developed ultrasonic system. The results demonstrate that the fabricated air-backed probes combined with advanced signal processing techniques offer the capability of health monitoring of steam pipe under various operating conditions.

High Temperatures (HT)↗

NASA NTRS1981

A unique approach to fabricating precision space structures elements

A procedure of fabricating graphite epoxy columns used in the assembly of large space platforms is described. The requirement for precise dimensional control led to a unique hot resin injection process. Dry, high modulus fiber is wound over a vertically mounted steam-heated mandrel. A steam-heated sleeve or caul is slipped over the wound mandrel and resin is injected and cured in place. Approximately 200 column elements have been fabricated using this efficient process.

Cohan, H.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Experimental evaluation of a stationary spherical reflector tracking absorber solar energy collector

This article presents experimental data for the thermal performance of a stationary, spherical-reflector, tracking-absorber solar energy collector (SRTA). The principle of operation and details of thermal performance of such an SRTA have previously been described. These experimental results were compared with the predictions of a thermal analysis previously published. Experimental results were compared with the prediction of Kreider's computer model. Within the range of the temperature of the experiments, the predicted performance of the unit agreed well with experimental data collected under clear sky conditions. In addition, the extrapolation of the efficiency to higher temperature is shown so that the potential of an SRTA solar collector as a means of providing high temperature steam to operate an electric power facility or for process heat can be evaluated. As a result of the tests conducted by NASA, and an economic analysis not yet publicly available, it appears that the SRTA solar collector concept will be economically viable in competition with any other existing solar system in providing electrical energy.

Steward, W. G.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Pool Boiling Experiment Has Successful Flights

The Pool Boiling Experiment (PBE) is designed to improve understanding of the fundamental mechanisms that constitute nucleate pool boiling. Nucleate pool boiling is a process wherein a stagnant pool of liquid is in contact with a surface that can supply heat to the liquid. If the liquid absorbs enough heat, a vapor bubble can be formed. This process occurs when a pot of water boils. On Earth, gravity tends to remove the vapor bubble from the heating surface because it is dominated by buoyant convection. In the orbiting space shuttle, however, buoyant convection has much less of an effect because the forces of gravity are very small. The Pool Boiling Experiment was initiated to provide insight into this nucleate boiling process, which has many Earthbound applications, such as steam-generation power plants, petroleum, and other chemical plants. Also, by using the test fluid R-113, the Pool Boiling Experiment can provide some basic understanding of the boiling behavior of cryogenic fluids without the large cost of an experiment using an actual cryogen.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2009

Design Evolution and Verification of the A-3 Chemical Steam Generator

Following is an overview of the Chemical Steam Generator system selected to provide vacuum conditions for a new altitude test facility, the A-3 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center (SSC) in Bay St. Louis, MS. A-3 will serve as NASA s primary facility for altitude testing of the J-2X rocket engine, to be used as the primary propulsion device for the upper stages of the Ares launch vehicles. The Chemical Steam Generators (CSGs) will produce vacuum conditions in the test cell through the production and subsequent supersonic ejection of steam into a diffuser downstream of the J-2X engine nozzle exit. The Chemical Steam Generators chosen have a rich heritage of operation at rocket engine altitude test facilities since the days of the Apollo program and are still in use at NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) in New Mexico. The generators at WSTF have been modified to a degree, but are still very close to the heritage design. The intent for the A-3 implementation is to maintain this heritage design as much as possible, making minimal updates only where necessary to substitute for obsolete parts and to increase reliability. Reliability improvements are especially desired because the proposed system will require 27 generators, which is nine times the largest system installed in the 1960s. Improvements were suggested by the original design firm, Reaction Motors, by NASA SSC and NASA WSTF engineers, and by the A-3 test stand design contractor, Jacobs Technology, Inc. (JTI). This paper describes the range of improvements made to the design to date, starting with the heritage generator and the minor modifications made over time at WSTF, to the modernized configuration which will be used at A-3. The paper will discuss NASA s investment in modifications to SSC s E-2 test facility fire a full-scale Chemical Steam Generator in advance of the larger steam system installation at A-3. Risk mitigation testing will be performed in early 2009 at this test facility to verify that the CSGs operate as expected. The generator which will undergo this testing is of the most recent A-3 configuration, and will be instrumented far in excess of what is normally required for operation. The extra data will allow for easier troubleshooting and more complete knowledge of expected generator performance. In addition, the early testing will give SSC personnel experience in operating the CSG systems, which will expedite the process of installation and activation at A-3. Each Chemical Steam Generator is supported by a complement of valves, instruments, and flow control devices, with the entire assembly called a "module." The generators will be installed in groups of three, historically called "units". A module is so called because of its modular ability to be replaced or serviced without disturbing the other two modules installed on the same unit. A module is pictured in Figure 1, shown with its generator secured by white bands in its shipping (vs. installed) configuration. The heritage system at WSTF is composed of a single unit (three generator modules), pictured in Figure 2 as it was installed in 1965. In contrast, A-3 will have nine units operating in parallel to achieve vacuum conditions appropriate for testing the J-2X engine. Each of the combustors operates in two modes and achieves the so-called "full-steam" mode after all three of its stages ignite. Ignition of the first stage is achieved by exciting a spark plug; the second stage and main stage are lit by the flame front of the previous stage. The main stage burns approximately 97% of the total propellant flow and uses the heat energy to vaporize water into superheated steam. While the main stage remains unlit, the combustor is in so-called "idle" mode. In the WSTF system, this idle mode is not optimized for water usage, and does not need to be, as the water is pumped from a large reservoir. The water supply at A-3 will be contained in tanks with finite volume, so water optimization is preferred for the modnized configuration. Multiple solutions for this issue have been proposed, with the leading concept being a change to the operational definition of "idle mode," with the generator running in a lower heat flux condition.

Kirchner, Casey K.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Bosch Carbon Catalyst Regeneration in Water III: Experiments for and Related to Thermal Shock

Bosch technology has the potential to close the atmospheric revitalization loop by providing theoretically 100% regeneration of metabolic carbon dioxide into oxygen. The main obstacle to using Bosch technology is over-pressurization issues in the carbon formation reactor. Prior work on Bosch catalyst regeneration established that agitating carbon coated beads in water broke up pressure causing clogs and regenerated the catalyst surface. This process proved to be time consuming with experiments taking at least one hour to regenerate ten grams of carbon coated beads. In an attempt to shorten the processing time, thermally shocking the carbon coated beads prior to mechanical agitation was tested. Agitating the carbon coated beads after exposure to a saturated steam environment was also tested to ensure that the steam generated by thermally shocking the carbon coated beads would not cause adverse effects. The rationale behind thermally shocking the carbon coated beads is that the bead would pull away from the carbon shell due to a difference in the thermal expansion coefficients. The results of this project show that the processing time can be cut in half when compared to previous work, and that saturated steam has little to no effect on regeneration.

Bosch Process↗

NASA NTRS1982

Literature survey of properties of synfuels derived from coal

A literature survey of the properties of synfuels for ground-based turbine applications is presented. The four major concepts for converting coal into liquid fuels (solvent extraction, catalytic liquefaction, pyrolysis, and indirect liquefaction), and the most important concepts for coal gasification (fixed bed, fluidized bed, entrained flow, and underground gasification) are described. Upgrading processes for coal derived liquid fuels are also described. Data presented for liquid fuels derived from various processes, including H-coal, synthoil, solvent refined coal, COED, donor solvent, zinc chloride hydrocracking, co-steam, and flash pyrolysis. Typical composition, and property data is also presented for low and medium-BTU gases derived from the various coal gasification processes.

Flores, F.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Autothermal reforming of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon liquids

Results are presented from a study of the autothermal reforming of paraffins and aromatics over nickel catalysts. The trials were performed to examine the carbon products that appear when steam is passed over hydrocarbon liquids to form H2-rich gases, i.e., the autothermal process (ATR). Attention was given to n-hexane, n-tetradecane, benzene, and benzene solutions of naphthalene with reactant preheat to 1000-1150 F. The carbon-formation limit was sought as a function of the steam-to-carbon and oxygen to carbon molar ratios at constant pressure and the preheat temperatures. The catalyst bed was examined after each trial to identify the locations and types of carbon formed using SEM, thermal gravimetric analysis, and X ray diffraction techniques. The hydrocarbon fuels each had a separate temperature and reaction profile, as well as carbon formation characteristics. No carbon formation was observed in the upper layer of the reactor bed, while both gas phase and surface-grown deposits were present in the lower part. The results are concluded of use in the study of No. 2 fuel oil for ATR feedstock.

Flytzani-Stephanopoulos, M.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Stability Of A Carbon-Dioxide-Removing Resin

Report describes experiments determing long-term chemical stability of IRA-45, commerical ion-exchange resin candidate for use in removing CO2 from atmosphere of Space Station. In proposed system, cabin air passes through resin, and acidic CO2 absorbed by weakly-basic hydrated diethylenetriamine bonded to porous resin substrate. When resin absorbs all CO2, disconnects from airstream and heated with steam to desorb CO2. Resin reuseable. Removed by post-treating process air with phosphoric acid on charcoal. Other chemicals removed by trace-contaminant-control subsystem of Space Station.

Wydeven, Theodore↗

NASA NTRS2004

Experimental Simulation of Turbine-Exhaust Oxygen Recovery

In some liquid-propellant rocket engines, the liquid-oxygen boost pump is driven by a turbine that is powered by high-pressure gaseous oxygen. Once it exits the turbine, this gaseous oxygen can be salvaged by injecting it into the subcooled liquid oxygen exiting the boost pump. If the main LOX pump is to function correctly under these circumstances, complete condensation of the gaseous oxygen must quickly follow its injection into the boost-pump discharge. The current investigation uses steam and water in a simple rig that allows the condensation process to be visualized and quantified. This paper offers dimensionless-parameter correlations of the data and trends observed.

Clark, Jim A.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Photosensor with enhanced quantum efficiency

A method to significantly increase the quantum efficiency (QE) of a CCD (or similar photosensor) applied in the UV, far UV and low energy x-ray regions of the spectrum. The increase in QE is accomplished by overthinning the backside of a CCD substrate beyond the epitaxial interface and UV flooding the sensor prior to use. The UV light photoemits electrons to the thinned surface and charges the backside negatively. This in turn forms an accumulation layer of holes near the Si-SiO.sub.2 interface creating an electric field gradient in the silicon which directs the photogenerated signal to the frontside where they are collected in pixel locations and later transferred. An oxide film, in which the backside charge resides, must have quality equivalent to a well aged native oxide which typically takes several years to form under ambient conditions. To reduce the amount of time in growing an oxide of sufficient quality, a process has been developed to grow an oxide by using deionized steam at 95.degree. C. which takes less than one hour to grow.

Janesick, James R.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Waste heat utilization in industrial processes

A survey is given of new developments in heat exchangers and heat pumps. With respect to practical applications, internal criteria for plant operation are discussed. Possibilities of government support are pointed out. Waste heat steam generators and waste heat aggregates for hot water generation or in some cases for steam superheating are used. The possibilities of utilization can be classified according to the economic improvements and according to their process applications, for example, gascooling. Examples are presented for a large variety of applications.

Weichsel, M.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Onboard hydrogen generation for automobiles

Problems concerning the use of hydrogen as a fuel for motor vehicles are related to the storage of the hydrogen onboard a vehicle. The feasibility is investigated to use an approach based on onboard hydrogen generation as a means to avoid these storage difficulties. Two major chemical processes can be used to produce hydrogen from liquid hydrocarbons and methanol. In steam reforming, the fuel reacts with water on a catalytic surface to produce a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. In partial oxidation, the fuel reacts with air, either on a catalytic surface or in a flame front, to yield a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. There are many trade-offs in onboard hydrogen generation, both in the choice of fuels as well as in the choice of a chemical process. Attention is given to these alternatives, the results of some experimental work in this area, and the combustion of various hydrogen-rich gases in an internal combustion engine.

Houseman, J.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Bench-Scale Monolith Autothermal Reformer Catalyst Screening Evaluations in a Micro-Reactor With Jet-A Fuel

Solid oxide fuel cell systems used in the aerospace or commercial aviation environment require a compact, light-weight and highly durable catalytic fuel processor. The fuel processing method considered here is an autothermal reforming (ATR) step. The ATR converts Jet-A fuel by a reaction with steam and air forming hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO) to be used for production of electrical power in the fuel cell. This paper addresses the first phase of an experimental catalyst screening study, looking at the relative effectiveness of several monolith catalyst types when operating with untreated Jet-A fuel. Six monolith catalyst materials were selected for preliminary evaluation and experimental bench-scale screening in a small 0.05 kWe micro-reactor test apparatus. These tests were conducted to assess relative catalyst performance under atmospheric pressure ATR conditions and processing Jet-A fuel at a steam-to-carbon ratio of 3.5, a value higher than anticipated to be run in an optimized system. The average reformer efficiencies for the six catalysts tested ranged from 75 to 83 percent at a constant gas-hourly space velocity of 12,000 hr 1. The corresponding hydrocarbon conversion efficiency varied from 86 to 95 percent during experiments run at reaction temperatures between 750 to 830 C. Based on the results of the short-duration 100 hr tests reported herein, two of the highest performing catalysts were selected for further evaluation in a follow-on 1000 hr life durability study in Phase II.

Tomsik, Thomas M.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Bosch Carbon Catalyst Regeneration in Water I: Bosch Carbon Removal from Reacted Beads Utilizing Mechanical Agitation

The ability to recover oxygen from metabolic carbon dioxide is crucial for crewed long duration missions in which the atmosphere must be recycled. Two physiochemical methods are primarily employed for this purpose: the Bosch process and the Sabatier reaction. This paper focuses on the Bosch process. It utilizes hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst to form water and solid carbon out of metabolic carbon dioxide. The solid carbon product deposits onto the catalyst and eventually causes reactor over pressurization issues. Multiple methods are currently being investigated to regenerate the catalyst’s surface and break up the pressure causing carbon clogs. This paper explores whether water and mechanical abrasion would work to remove Bosch carbon by testing multiple washing conditions. The different washing conditions involved agitation intensity, heating, duration, and volume of water. It was found that it is possible to break up the clumps of carbon formed in the reactor through agitation with room temperature water in one hour and shows promise for completely cleaning the carbon off the beads’ surface.

Agitation↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Benefits of Trash-to-Gas Versus Jettison of Waste Via Trash-Lock for Mars Transit

Human exploration missions to Mars pose difficulties due to the significant waste that will be generated during transit, which will need to be carried along or disposed of in some fashion. Waste removal from the spacecraft decreases the spacecraft’s mass as well as the associated logistic items necessary for storing the waste. A mission propellant analysis was performed to highlight the mass benefits that may be accessed via waste removal. The propellant mass savings were determined for different waste removal rates (2.9 – 11.6 kg/day) with the highest removal rate leading to the greatest propellant savings of 7,785 kg for an 850-day round-trip mission. Due to these benefits, two methods for waste reduction were studied for the 850-day Mars mission: Trash-to-Gas (TtG) and physical jettison via a trash-lock. The trash-to-gas methods considered were combustion, steam reforming, and pyrolysis, which convert waste into ventable gases (e.g., CO2, CO, CH4, etc.). Combustion and steam reforming require a co-reactant (O2 and/or H2O). Therefore, additional processing units or integration with the spacecraft’s environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) are required to facilitate recycle of the pertinent species. In contrast, pyrolysis is a purely thermal degradation process, which can operate as a standalone system; however, a lower percentage of waste is gasified with pyrolysis. The study herein compares standalone TtG (e.g., Advanced Organic Waste Gasifier, Plasma Pyrolysis, etc.), integrated TtG-ECLSS (e.g., Orbital Syngas Commodity Augmentation Reactor, Incineration/Gasification, etc.), and physical jettison. Each system’s mass, volume, power, and cooling requirements were compared via an equivalent system mass (ESM) analysis to ascertain potentially promising technologies that can achieve efficient waste removal while minimizing their own spacecraft load. This study highlights the advantages and disadvantages of the different waste management technologies and provides recommendations on the promising technologies based on the ESM metric and propellant mass savings.

Jettison↗

NASA NTRS2023

Analysis of the Solid Products from the OSCAR and the AOWG Trash Processing Systems

Two trash conversion systems that process space logistical trash for conversion into gases and liquids have minor solid product formation consisting of primarily high carbon ash, inorganic salts, and aluminum metal flakes. These solid products necessarily comprise part of the system output because the thermal degradation processes intentionally operate at temperatures below aluminum vaporization and do not convert all solid inorganics or carbon-based compounds into gaseous compounds (i.e., CO 2 or CH 4 ). The two systems included the Orbital Syngas/Commodity Augmentation Reactor (OSCAR) combustion system funded by the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) located at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, and the Advanced Organic Waste Gasifier (AOWG) steam reforming system developed by Pioneer Astronautics in Lakewood, Colorado, and funded by the NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD). OSCAR residual solids were collected from suborbital flight and ground-based laboratory testing, while all AOWG samples were collected from ground testing. This report discusses the solid product characterization, including elemental analyses performed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and a surface chemistry performed with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A particle size analysis was performed with sieves, followed by SEM analyses. These analyses were performed to elucidate what high value products can be extracted or utilized from the solid products for follow on infusion into chemical feedstocks, manufacturing additives, or in-situ construction-based material needs.

OSCAR↗